When did snakes start hibernating?

Hibernation refers to the fact that some animals in nature will enter a physiological state similar to lethargy by lowering their body temperature in the cold winter. Hibernation animals are mainly ectotherms, of course, including some mammals and birds, different animals hibernate for different reasons, for example, mammals are usually forced to hibernate because of lack of food, but the main reason for hibernation of ectotherms is temperature.

The same is true for snakes as ectotherms, they are unable to regulate their body temperature like mammals, which change in response to changes in the outside world. Therefore, in areas where the four seasons are distinct and the winter is obviously cold, snakes will go into hibernation in order to escape the severe cold.

According to the snake data, the hibernation period of snakes in China is generally to enter hibernation before and after stinging, the specific time is from November to April of the lunar calendar of the second year, but there are snakes that only begin to hibernate in early December and sting in early March of the following year. When the snake enters the hibernation period (such as the silver krait, the cobra hibernation temperature is 13-15 degrees Celsius) almost does not consume memory energy, after testing, the cobra in the hibernation state, the heartbeat 5 times per minute (in the hibernation room I touched the cobra's heart with my hand to measure this data) blood circulation almost stopped.

The length of the snake's hibernation period depends on the length and severity of the cold season, and the snake's hibernation period is extended as the geographical latitude increases. For example, in Inner Mongolia, the hibernation period of Heilongjiang snakes is particularly long, reaching 6-7 months, and the snakes in these areas will complete the breeding of offspring during the activity period of more than 5 months, recover their physique, replenish and store nutrients, in order to enter the next long hibernation.

At the same time, the hibernation time of snakes varies according to different species, for example, the hibernation period of Zhejiang soldering iron head is from late November to early April of the second year, while the hibernation period of the silver krait snake is from December to early March of the second year.

Moreover, the hibernation time of the same snake is also different in different regions, such as the hibernation period of the silver krait snake in Nanning, Guangxi until April, and the hibernation period in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province to May.

The order in which snakes hibernate also has a lot to do with the species, gender, and age of the snake. The first to burrow into hibernation were non-venomous snakes, then venomous snakes; When comparing the same species of snake, the female snake is the first to burrow, followed by the male, and finally the young snake.

Generally in winter, when the temperature drops to seven to eight degrees Celsius, snakes begin to choose those hot and dry caves to hibernate. In the spring, when the temperature rises, the hibernation period of the snake ends.

It will wake up from mid-November to March of the following year.

Different species of snakes have different temperature requirements Generally speaking, snakes below 15 degrees Celsius will stop feeding and prepare to hibernate.

The snake hibernates in November and wakes up in April.

The hibernation time of the snake is generally from November of the first year to April of the second year, and the length of the hibernation period depends on the length and severity of the cold season. The hibernation time of the same snake is different in different regions, and the order of hibernation of snakes is also very related to the species, gender, and age of the snake.

Introduction to snake hibernation

In October and November before hibernation, all kinds of snakes forage for food, eat fat and strong, and accumulate sufficient nutrients in the body before choosing a dry, warm cave to live in and enter hibernation. At the time of the first sting, if the weather warms up, some snakes will still come out of the hole and move near the mouth of the hole.

During the entire hibernation period, all kinds of snakes do not eat or move, the snake's body shrinks into a ball, the body temperature drops, the metabolism drops to the lowest level, and it relies on the nutrients ingested before hibernation to maintain the minimum needs of life to survive the long winter. In April and May of the following spring, the snake wakes up after the weather warms up and returns to nature.

When snakes hibernate, they like to live in groups, often in a hibernation cave as few as three or five, as many as dozens or even hundreds. As winter approaches, snakes have an instinct to swarm, and sometimes several snakes will live in a single cave, and the reason for the early leakage is not the lack of suitable hibernation places.

One of the obvious benefits of this social behavior is that many snakes huddle together to expose less surface area than they would if they hibernate alone, allowing them to conserve more of the few calories in their bodies. Snakes living in groups can also increase body temperature1 3.

In order to raise the temperature during hibernation, they sometimes share the same hole with their opponents (such as rats, frogs, toads, etc.).

Late November.

The hibernation time of snakes generally begins in late November and lasts until around mid-March of the following year. The exact time depends on the outside temperature and the type of snake.

The reason why snakes choose to hibernate is mainly because they are cold-blooded animals and are unable to regulate their body temperature on their own. During the cold winter months, snakes cannot obtain enough energy to maintain their body temperature, so they choose to go into hibernation. During hibernation, the snake's new generation is minimized to reduce energy consumption.

Winter Kai Sleep is a self-protection mechanism for snakes to avoid freezing to death in the cold winter.

Different snake species have different hibernation times, and some northern snakes may enter hibernation at an earlier time. Southern snakes, on the other hand, may wait until after the winter solstice to begin hibernation. Overall, the hibernation time of a snake depends on the outside temperature and the species of snake.

The hibernation time of snakes varies depending on the species and geographical location. In general, snakes begin to hibernate after the temperature drops to a certain level, depending on the climatic conditions of the region and the species of snake.

In most parts of the country, the hibernation period of snakes is usually from November to April of the following lunar calendar. Different species of snakes will also vary, for example, the hibernation period of the Zhejiang soldering iron head is from late November to the beginning of April of the second year, while the hibernation period of the silver krait snake is from December to the beginning of March of the second year.

Also, the hibernation time of snakes is also related to the latitude of the area they are in. As the geographical latitude increases, the hibernation period of the snake is extended. In Nanning, for example, the snake will start burrowing in early April, while in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, it will not start until early May.

In addition, some snakes only start hibernation in early December and then emerge in early March. This is not very common and is mainly caused by special species of snakes or snakes that live in special environments.

Overall, the hibernation time of snakes depends on a variety of factors, including breed, geographical location, climatic conditions, etc. In some extreme environments, such as cold regions or high altitudes, snakes can hibernate for months or more.

Snakes are generally active from late spring to early winter.

Details: Every year in mid-March, snakes hibernate and first wake up. From late April to early May, snakes forage for food, molt and mate.

In June, snakes are active and go out to forage, drink or bathe. From July to August, most snakes leave their hibernation sites and move to secluded water's edges, mostly in the early morning, late afternoon and at night. From September to October, snakes hunt a lot to increase the accumulation of nutrients in the body.

The pattern of snake activity varies with the climate. When the temperature of the environment drops, the snake raises its body temperature by basking in the sun and heating the lamp on the warm rocks until it burrows into the burrow to hibernate. When the ambient temperature rises. Snakes hide in shady places, on stones, under bricks, in water, or burrowing into burrows, causing their body temperature to drop.

The pigment in the snake** also plays a certain role in heat absorption.

Different snakes hibernate for different times. The order of hibernation is also related to gender and age, first female, then male, and finally young.